Where would we be without agriculture and horticulture irrigation machinery and implements, you ask? The answer to that question is that we would be relegated to the old ways of watering; either waiting on the next rain or carrying water in pails to the plants needing water. Today’s irrigation systems and machinery can be so advanced that crops can be grown in places that would have previously not been able to sustain growth.

Traditionally, ditch or furrow irrigation, has been the way most agriculture was irrigated. Ditches can be dug using hand tools and plows, or higher-tech items such as laser-guided digging implements. Water runs through those ditches and is distributed either straight through soil to the plants, or through pipes with holes in them. This type of irrigation is still fairly common, though other, more efficient, ways of irrigating are becoming more common.

One of those more efficient methods is drip or trickle irrigation. Similar to ditch irrigation, the water is delivered near the roots; however, unlike ditch irrigation, with the drip method the pipe is buried right under the surface, which eliminates evaporation from heat.

Agriculture and horticulture irrigation machinery and implements are one of the main reasons that farming has been able to keep up with the world’s growing demand for food. These machines also have allowed farming to take place where traditionally there wasn’t any. As advances in technology continue to be made, one can guarantee that the farming industry will continue to grow and improve.